Did You Know?

We have 23,000 registered Scouts in Bay-Lakes Council.

It costs the Council $183 for every registered Scout.

The annual $24.00 Pack/Troop membership fee goes straight to the National Office. But, all of the dollars raised during our Friends of Scouting Annual Gift Campaign remains with the Bay-Lakes Council to benefit local Scouts!

The dollars raised during FOS make up over 20% of our entire Council budget. Needless to say, these are critical dollars!

All of the dollars raised during the FOS campaign remain in Bay-Lakes Council. The funds benefit your local Scouts, camps, programs, staff and much more!

Help us continue the tradition in to the next century by investing in Scouting today.

2016 Individual Recognition

Support 1 scout with a gift of $183 (only 50 cents a day!) or more and receive a 2016 Friends of Scouting Patch

Support 2 scouts with a $365 (only $1 a day) and a Campership will be awarded in the donors name to a Scout in need of financial assistance to attend summer camp during the 2016 summer camp season. In addition, donors at this level will receive a 2016 Friends of Scouting Patch and an invitation to a special recognition event to be held at the Bay-Lakes Council Camp

If you would like to learn more or make a gift please contact the Center for Scouting and speak to Kristin Ely-Bluemke (920) 734-5705 x 140, contact your local District Executive, or for convenience visit our website at http://www.baylakesbsa.org/FOS and click on the “Donate Online Here!” link.

Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contributions or volunteer hours made by their employees. To find out if your company has a matching gift policy, please visit our link at http://www1.matchinggifts.com/scouting. If your company is eligible, request a matching gift form from your employer, and send it completed and signed with your gift. We will do the rest. The impact of your gift to the Boy Scouts of America & the Bay-Lakes Council may be doubled or possibly tripled! Some companies match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses.

Product Sale

The 2015 Fall $700 Club Popcorn Recognitions Star Wars Movie had a turnout of over 2,900 Scouts and their families on Saturday, Dec. 19th at 5 theaters across the Bay-Lakes Council!

This sale is perfect for those Scouts who are looking to raise funds to attend summer camp. There will be a new and exciting product line to sell (not popcorn this time). Good commission and a simple sale to manage.

Look to the Product Sale page on our Bay-Lakes Council Website for up coming details for 2016 sale and commitment to sell information.

Camp Leader Orientation

Camp Leader Orientation will once again be done via Go To Webinar by individual camps.

We are currently determining the dates of when each camp will conduct its webinar. We are “targeting” the months of February & March to hold the webinars. Once dates are finalized they will be shared with you via the E-Guide, posted on the Bay-Lakes Council website and e-mailed to the person designated in you Pack, Troop or Crew to receive vital information regarding summer camp.

Should you have any questions you can also contact the Program Department at the Center for Scouting, 920-734-5705.

Kayak Rolling

January 17, 24 &31
February 7, 14, 21, 28
March 13 & 20

(Note: some dates have age limitations)

Arctic Adventure

February 12-14, 2016

Arctic Adventure is open to Venturers and Boy Scouts age 13 and up as well as adult leaders and parents. Participants will be able to experience winter activities of the north woods such as snowshoeing, ice fishing, cross country skiing, and much more including indoor activities. This event will be based out of a cabin lodge with a fireplace, bunks, and warm showering facilities with meals provided. Click here to register.

Winter Amidships

February 20, 2016

Bay-Lakes Council of the Boy Scouts of America and alumni of Fond du Lac/Oshkosh Scout units are proud to invite you to the 42nd Winter Amidships (WAM) co-ed Scout event to be held Saturday, February 20th, 2016, at the National Guard Armory Fond du Lac, WI. For more information and to register, click here.

Hunter Safety

April 10-12, 2016

Registration is opening up quickly for the Bay-Lakes Council Hunter Education instruction weekend to be held at Bear Paw Scout Camp. Click here to register.

Powder Horn

May 20-22, 2016 - Gardner Dam
June 3-5, 2016 - Hanna Venture Base

Powder Horn is an Outdoor/High Adventure resource management source designed to motivate and prepare adult and youth leaders on the Venturing Awards. You do not have to be a Venture Scout to participate, the experiences provided participants and the resources they’ll be put in touch with can be applied to every level of Scouting, from Webelos on up. Therefore, all Scout leaders as well as Venturing Crew members and Boy and Girl Scouts ages 14 and up are invited to participate.Click here to register.

2017 National Jamboree

July 19 - 28, 2017

Bay-Lakes Council is planning to take 1 Venturing Crew and 5 Scout Troops to the Jamboree. Each unit will consist of 36 youth and 4 adult leaders. Adult leaders have been selected and youth participants should register now to secure their spot.

Final cost and other details are being determined. The fee is expected to be under $2000. The fee will cover the National Jamboree fee, travel and tour expenses, meals, lodging, unit and patrol equipment, accident and sickness insurance, unit numbers, patrol medallions, and the cost of pre-jamboree training. Youth participants should secure a spot now by sending a $200 deposit to the Bay-Lakes Council.

Order of the Arrow

Annual Meeting Notice

The Annual Business Meeting of the Bay-Lakes Council will be held on Monday, April 18, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. at LIBERTY HALL, 800 Eisenhower Drive in Kimberly.

Hors de’ oeuvres will be served at 6:30 P.M. followed by the Annual Meeting, election of Officers, Executive Board Members, Advisory Council members and National Council Representatives.

If you have individuals you would like to recommend to serve on the Bay-Lakes Council Board, please forward their names and contact information to the Center for Scouting – attention Council Nominating Committee Chair, by January 31, 2016.

Updated Version of Scouting’s Barriers to Abuse Now Available

The BSA has adopted policies for the safety and well-being of its members. These policies primarily protect youth members; however, they also serve to protect adult leaders. Parents and youth using these safeguards outside the Scouting program further increase the safety of their youth. Scout leaders in positions of youth leadership and supervision outside the Scouting program will find these policies help protect youth in those situations as well. Click here to view document.

Deadline Past for Youth Protection Training Mandate

For more than 100 years, Scouting has been a special place for children, both literally and figuratively. Even in today's world, Scouting is one of the safest places for a youth to be involved. We want to make it easy for each Unit to contribute to keep Scouting safe for everyone, youth and adults alike. To ease this process, the Bay-Lakes Council has provided all of the Youth Protection Training videos and links to E-Learning sites on our website, located at: www.baylakesbsa.org. Click Training and then click Youth Protection Training. You may also access youth protection training in the E-Learning section at my.scouting.org. In order to be able to process a charter renewal all adult leaders must have current Youth Protection Training on record within the last two years. The deadline of December 31, 2015 for completion is now past. If you still need to complete training please do so immediately.

Council Training

The Council Program Committee and Training Committee feel so strongly about about “Trained Leaders” including protection of youth members that they have mandated that all leaders be current in Youth Protection Training by recharter time on December 31, 2015. Those leaders that aren't YPT trained at recharter time will not be renewed. They will be notified that they are no longer a registered leader along with instructions on how to renew their YPT so that they can regain their volunteer status. In the meantime, the application will be pulled or removed from the recharter pending the renewal of YPT.

Parents expect us, the Bay-Lakes Council, to provide quality programs and keep their children safe at events and with their respective leaders. The background check done on all leaders along with YPT training ensures that happens. See the Council training website page for detailed directions on adult leader training. For more information, click here.

Charter Renewal

Internet Charter Renewal is the BSA’s web-based method for units to renew their charters from any online location—at home, the office or anywhere you have internet access. It’s easy, convenient, and accurate because you enter the information yourself! Access information at www.baylakesbsa.org. Click on Resources, Click on Volunteer Support and Click on Internet Rechartering to access all of the necessary tools to complete your 2016 charter renewal. Access the Internet rechartering information by clicking here.

While Supplies Last

We wanted to insure everyone who wanted to purchase a Farewell to Camp Maywood Wilderness Patch, Back Patch or T-shirt was aware that a few still remain and are available at the Center for Scouting.

BSA Anniversary

February 8, 2016 is the official birthday of Scouting and the 7th - 13th is Scouting’s Anniversary Week. Make it special for the entire community. Here are some more ideas:

Do a large community service project

Have Cub Scouts attend school in uniform.

Conduct a Court of Honor and invite the local officials, teachers, past unit leaders and Eagle Scouts, and other members of the community to attend

Hold a Pack Blue and Gold Banquet and plan for each den to do a skit or work on a project during the month to share and do a the pack meeting that is related to the history of Scouting

Take lots of pictures and get them in the local newspaper and share them on Social Media

Whatever you do, please do something and make it as big as it can be. Make it special, make it fun and enjoy the moment.

Scout Sunday/Scout Sabbath

Scout Sunday is February 7, 2016 and Scout Sabbath is Saturday, February 13th. Every Unit in the Council should plan now to be part of a religious service either at a church/synagogue that is the chartered organization or somewhere else in the community where the unit exists. There are many ways a Unit can participate that include but are not limited to:

Having all youth and leaders in full uniform seated at the front during service

Have Scouts hand out bulletins as parishioners arrive

Have leaders serve as ushers

Be part of the service by reading scripture

Ask the lead clergy person to use the Scout Oath and/or Law as part of the message

Have the Chartered Organization Representative (C.O.R.) present the unit with its charter

Ask for time for the COR or leader to speak briefly about the activities the unit has done.

Schedule a service project in or around the church that day/week

Have a pot-luck after the service in honor of Scouting/Hold a Court of Honor

Schedule and Eagle Ceremony for after the service

Invite family and friends who many not have a religious affiliation to attend in honor of Scout Sunday/Sabbath

Help Scouting be seen for the Positive force for good that it is!

Doing a Good Turn Daily is the hallmark of Scouting. Help us spread the good news about what your unit is doing to provide invaluable support to other community organizations. We want to make it simple to track our impact providing community service throughout the Council. To date, we’re behind last year and need everyone to take a few minutes during this busy time of year to log your community service hours before the end of the year.

You can still log your hours at https://servicehours.scouting.org/UI/Security/Login.aspx with your user name and password if you like; however using this link, Service Hour Report link, you can complete a simple form with your Unit number, date and name of the project, # of youth and adults participating, and the total hours. It’s that simple and will help Scouting in Bay-Lakes Council be better recognized for our work throughout the area.

Thanks in advance for your commitment to teaching the importance of service to others and demonstrating the Scout Slogan – Do A Good Turn Daily.

The Bay-Lakes Council Tribute Fund has been established for Scouters & Friends of Scouting. It gives you the opportunity to pay tribute to a relative or friend through a donation to the Council. This can be done as a congratulation, get well or sympathy from the donor.